Post by Salem6 on Nov 2, 2003 9:59:31 GMT
By Roy Collins (Filed: 02/11/2003)
Leeds 1 Arsenal 4
Arsenal shook the last shreds of the Football Association's disciplinary mat from their boots to produce a red-carpet display that suggests they will not easily relinquish their position at the head of the Premiership, even if half their team are banished to the salt mines.
After the announcement of all their suspensions, the only thing suspended here was disbelief as, after several stuttering wins and an unconvincing draw at Charlton last week, Arsenal discovered the sort of form that last year had many people ready to crown them champions before Christmas.
In the huddle: Robert Pires is congratulated after scoring
This was an Arsenal side again full of flair, invention and goals, and not just from Thierry Henry, who is supposed to be in need of a chiropractor after carrying his team-mates on his back for so long.
It was a statement of title intent, even if it was only against hapless Leeds, a team who have lost everything - money, players, directors and, most importantly of all, heart and hope that their misery will ever come to an end.
It is likely to be finished soon enough for manager Peter Reid, who has already been warned by professor John McKenzie, the chairman, that he cannot guarantee he will still be in charge at the end of the season. After this humiliation, a seventh defeat in eight games, you would not bet on Reid being in charge next week.
Reid, a man who can see black clouds behind the most silver of linings, did not even brighten up at the prospect of Arsenal arriving on the back of their chastisement at Soho Square in midweek, warning that it would only fire them up.
Sadly for him, he was proven absolutely right as Leeds were dissected by an Arsenal side who had spent a rare week with their feet up, all 11 of the starting line-up having been rested against Rotherham in the Carling Cup.
The points were locked up with indecent haste, before the first half midway point, though effectively it was over when Henry scored the first after eight minutes.
Jermaine Pennant, on loan from Arsenal, almost bit the hand that normally feeds him as early as the second minute when his right-wing delivery put Lamine Sakho in for a snap shot that forced Jens Lehmann to get a feel of the turf.
But two classic counter punches put Arsenal two ahead as the game ticked into the 17th minute, shades of last season when the Gunners also scored twice within the opening 20 minutes.
Ashley Cole sprung the first trap from the left with a 40-yard pass that acted as a starter's gun for a sprint between Henry and Zoumana Camara which, in reality, was a one-horse race. Henry switched on the afterburner to draw two lengths clear and then produced a thoroughbred finish as Paul Robinson came out.
Dennis Bergkamp set Arsenal off on their next successful assault with a flicked pass to Freddie Ljungberg from inside his own half. Leeds were subjected to the terrifying and highly unusual sight of three Arsenal players galloping into the box for the cross and though Gilberto reached it first, he could only knock it sideways for Robert Pires to finish. Who says Henry is the only man who can score for Arsenal?
Even Bergkamp, who has not scored since May, almost got in on the fun when he popped Ray Parlour's cross against a post. This time, Henry was on hand to pick up the pieces as Leeds's defence again looked on almost in admiration.
Leeds did not lack spirit, Alan Smith overdosing on it when roughing up Kolo Toure and David Batty also showing too much of it when he appeared to throw a forearm smash at Cole.
Smith is the last of Leeds's so-called crown jewels, the rest having been flogged off to ease their £78 million debts, although with the club's accountants having produced even worse results than the players, they are still the same amount in hock.
Smith, who has already played more than 200 games for Leeds at the age of 23, says that he never wants to leave the club. But when - and it is surely not a matter of if - he becomes the latest sacrifice to the bankers, they might as well board up Elland Road.
While other players, such as Mark Viduka, sulk about the difficulty of maintaining team morale, Smith continues to give displays of remarkable heart and vigour and inevitably, it was he who scored Leeds's consolation effort. Some consolation!
The ease with which Arsenal won only underlined the conundrum of why a team at the top of the Premiership are bottom of the class in Europe. And unless they can find at least a semblance of this form against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, their ambitions will again be limited to the easy pickings of domestic football.
Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Camara, Roque Junior, Olembe, Pennant, Batty, Seth Johnson, Sakho (Lennon 61), Smith, Bridges (Milner 45).
Subs Not Used: Carson, Harte, Duberry.
Booked: Olembe.
Goals: Smith 64.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Pires, Parlour, Silva, Ljungberg (Edu 71), Bergkamp (Aliadiere 77), Henry.
Subs Not Used: Stack, Wiltord, Cygan.
Goals: Henry 8, Pires 17, Henry 33, Silva 50.
Att: 36,491
Ref: M Dean (Wirral).
Source:-
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2003/11/02/sfglee02.xml&sSheet=/sport/2003/11/02/ixsporttop.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=39046
Leeds 1 Arsenal 4
Arsenal shook the last shreds of the Football Association's disciplinary mat from their boots to produce a red-carpet display that suggests they will not easily relinquish their position at the head of the Premiership, even if half their team are banished to the salt mines.
After the announcement of all their suspensions, the only thing suspended here was disbelief as, after several stuttering wins and an unconvincing draw at Charlton last week, Arsenal discovered the sort of form that last year had many people ready to crown them champions before Christmas.
In the huddle: Robert Pires is congratulated after scoring
This was an Arsenal side again full of flair, invention and goals, and not just from Thierry Henry, who is supposed to be in need of a chiropractor after carrying his team-mates on his back for so long.
It was a statement of title intent, even if it was only against hapless Leeds, a team who have lost everything - money, players, directors and, most importantly of all, heart and hope that their misery will ever come to an end.
It is likely to be finished soon enough for manager Peter Reid, who has already been warned by professor John McKenzie, the chairman, that he cannot guarantee he will still be in charge at the end of the season. After this humiliation, a seventh defeat in eight games, you would not bet on Reid being in charge next week.
Reid, a man who can see black clouds behind the most silver of linings, did not even brighten up at the prospect of Arsenal arriving on the back of their chastisement at Soho Square in midweek, warning that it would only fire them up.
Sadly for him, he was proven absolutely right as Leeds were dissected by an Arsenal side who had spent a rare week with their feet up, all 11 of the starting line-up having been rested against Rotherham in the Carling Cup.
The points were locked up with indecent haste, before the first half midway point, though effectively it was over when Henry scored the first after eight minutes.
Jermaine Pennant, on loan from Arsenal, almost bit the hand that normally feeds him as early as the second minute when his right-wing delivery put Lamine Sakho in for a snap shot that forced Jens Lehmann to get a feel of the turf.
But two classic counter punches put Arsenal two ahead as the game ticked into the 17th minute, shades of last season when the Gunners also scored twice within the opening 20 minutes.
Ashley Cole sprung the first trap from the left with a 40-yard pass that acted as a starter's gun for a sprint between Henry and Zoumana Camara which, in reality, was a one-horse race. Henry switched on the afterburner to draw two lengths clear and then produced a thoroughbred finish as Paul Robinson came out.
Dennis Bergkamp set Arsenal off on their next successful assault with a flicked pass to Freddie Ljungberg from inside his own half. Leeds were subjected to the terrifying and highly unusual sight of three Arsenal players galloping into the box for the cross and though Gilberto reached it first, he could only knock it sideways for Robert Pires to finish. Who says Henry is the only man who can score for Arsenal?
Even Bergkamp, who has not scored since May, almost got in on the fun when he popped Ray Parlour's cross against a post. This time, Henry was on hand to pick up the pieces as Leeds's defence again looked on almost in admiration.
Leeds did not lack spirit, Alan Smith overdosing on it when roughing up Kolo Toure and David Batty also showing too much of it when he appeared to throw a forearm smash at Cole.
Smith is the last of Leeds's so-called crown jewels, the rest having been flogged off to ease their £78 million debts, although with the club's accountants having produced even worse results than the players, they are still the same amount in hock.
Smith, who has already played more than 200 games for Leeds at the age of 23, says that he never wants to leave the club. But when - and it is surely not a matter of if - he becomes the latest sacrifice to the bankers, they might as well board up Elland Road.
While other players, such as Mark Viduka, sulk about the difficulty of maintaining team morale, Smith continues to give displays of remarkable heart and vigour and inevitably, it was he who scored Leeds's consolation effort. Some consolation!
The ease with which Arsenal won only underlined the conundrum of why a team at the top of the Premiership are bottom of the class in Europe. And unless they can find at least a semblance of this form against Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, their ambitions will again be limited to the easy pickings of domestic football.
Leeds: Robinson, Kelly, Camara, Roque Junior, Olembe, Pennant, Batty, Seth Johnson, Sakho (Lennon 61), Smith, Bridges (Milner 45).
Subs Not Used: Carson, Harte, Duberry.
Booked: Olembe.
Goals: Smith 64.
Arsenal: Lehmann, Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole, Pires, Parlour, Silva, Ljungberg (Edu 71), Bergkamp (Aliadiere 77), Henry.
Subs Not Used: Stack, Wiltord, Cygan.
Goals: Henry 8, Pires 17, Henry 33, Silva 50.
Att: 36,491
Ref: M Dean (Wirral).
Source:-
www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2003/11/02/sfglee02.xml&sSheet=/sport/2003/11/02/ixsporttop.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=39046
